Cylinder ratchet mechanism for revolver type firearms



March 1, 1966 K. R. LEWIS 3,237,336

CYLINDER RA'ICHET MECHANISM FOR REVOLVER TYPE FIREARMS I Filed May 31,1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q4 l6 15 H FIGZ INVENTOR.

ARL. R. LEWIS fig z ,wnw

March 1, 1966 LEw|5 3,237,336

CYLINDER RATCHET MECHANISM FOR REVOLVER TYPE FIREARMS Filed May 31, 19632 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

g ARL RLEWIS United States Patent 0.

3,237,336 CYLINDER RATCHET MECHANISM FOR REVOLVER TYPE FIREARMS Karl R.Lewis, Ogden, Utah, assignor to Browning Industries, Inc., Ogden, Utah,as tenants in common Filed May 31, 1963, Ser. No. 284,444 4 Claims. (CI.4259) This invention relates to firearms and is more particularlydirected to the cylinder ratchet mechanism for firearms of the revolvertype.

A revolver type of firearm is a highly specialized piece of mechanismone of whose functions consists of revolving or indexing a cartridgeinto firing position with the barrel and firing pin. The most commonmalfunction of any revolver type of firearm is its failuure to indexproperly or to completely line up the next cartridge into firingposition. When such a firearm fails to index properly, it is said to beout of time. This timing is carefully adjusted by filing and fitting theratchet-hand relationship in high quality revolver type firearms at thefactory. If the gun is out of time, the cylinder will not indexcompletely and will fail to line up the next cartridge with the barrel.When the cartridge is fired, the bullet, being slightly out of line withthe barrel bore, shaves lead, seriously affecting the accuracy of thefirearm. When the firearm gets out of time and the ratchet dogs areworn, the ratchet must be replaced, preferably at the factory. Itrequires expert workmanship to properly fit and adjust the timing, andthe replacement of the ratchet is considerably expensive.

The main object of invention is to provide a ratchet mechanism for arevolver type of firearm that is more durable, having large, easilymanufactured ratchet dogs for positive cylinder indexing, to eliminatehand adjusting of the timing and to provide a revolver type of firearmwith a ratchet that will not wear out during the life time of thefirearm.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a revolvertype of firearm with a positive rotating ratchet mechanism that isreadily applicable to firearms having any number of cartridge cylinders.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a revolver type offirearm with a positive rotating ratchet mechanism which is produced bysimple milling operations permitting tolerances that can be easilycontrolled and the ratchet mechanism produced and assembled into thefirearm eliminating the tedious and cost handfitting of the ratchet-bandrelationship as is now required to properly adjust the timing of presentconventional firearms of the revolver type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a revolver type offirearm with a cylinder ratchet having a plurality of lugs or dogs sopositioned thereon that the cylinder that now is designed for six shotscan have its capacity increased to as many as ten shots withoutincreasing the cylinders diameter.

A'further object of the present invention is to provide a cylinderratchet with lugs or dogs against which a hand abuts in rotating thecylinder to its next firing position, the dogs having an increased areaof bearing surfaces thereby increasing the life of the ratchet.

- A still further object of the present invention is to provide arevolver type of firearm with a cylinder ratchet on which a radialgroove is formed on the face of the ratchet which allows suflicientclearance between the breech face on the frame and the ratchet wherebythe firing pin cannot strike the ratchet regardless of the timing orposition of the ratchet at the time the hammer falls.

; A still further object of the present invention is to provide arevolver type of firearm with a cylinder bolt which aligns the rear ofthe cylinder with the barrel bore of the firearm and this alignment ispreserved at all times regardless of wear taking place on the head ofthe cylinder bolt or in the recess of the frame which receives the headof the cylindrical bolt.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a firearmof the revolver type having a cylinder ratchet mechanism that includes ahand which operates to rotate the cylinder as the trigger is pulled andthe hand continues its movement after the cylinder is locked withoutcausing any bind in the mechanism thereby reducing Wear on the variousparts to a minimum.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be bestunderstood from a consideration of the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, with the understanding, however, that the inventionis not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of thedrawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes ormodifications mark no material departure from the salient features ofthe invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a revolver type offirearm embodying my invention with the various parts in their neutralposition.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing the hammer in its partially cockedposition.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3of FIG. 1 showing the relative positions of the cylinder ratchet andhand, the latter being in its neutral position, with two cartridgesbeing shown by the dotted lines.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but with the cylinder omitted andwith the hand shown engaging a ratchet dog and having partially rotatedthe ratchet to the next firing position.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the ratchet rotated toplace the next cartridge in position to be fired thereby properlyindexing the ratchet and cylinder.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the ratchet in the sameposition as in FIGURE 5 but with the hand in the position occupied asthe cartridge is fired with the trigger still in its cocked position.

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the cylinder ratchet as seen removedfrom the cylinder.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals are used to designatesimilar parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 refers to arevolver type of firearm which is largely conventional in constructionbut including my cylinder and cylinder ratchet mechanism as explained indetail hereinafter.

The firearm 10 comprises a frame 11 with a barrel 12 mounted at one endand a handle 13 at the other end of the frame 11. The frame 11 isprovided with the conventional cavity 14 for housing the firingmechanism and an opening 15 in which a cylinder 16 is rotatably mounted.It will be obvious from the portion of the firearm 10 shown by thedrawings that it is a handgun, however, this has been done for thepurpose of illustration only and it should be understood that theinvention is not in any way limited to use in handguns but may be usedin any firearm of the revolver type, including revolver type shoulderguns.

Within the cavity 14 is a hammer 17 pivotally mounted as at 13 with alink or stirrup 19 connected as at 20 to.

the hammer 17 at one end with the other end connected to a main spring21 by a pin 22. The hammer 17 is cocked against the force of the mainspring 21 which impels the hammer 17 and its firing pin 24 forwardlyabout the pivot pin 18 to fire a cartridge 22 shown in a chamber 23 ofthe cylinder 16. Pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 26 on a forwardportion of the hammer 17 is a sear 25.

The lower end of the sear is engaged by a finger 27 of a trigger 28which is pivotally mounted as at 29 to the frame 11. When the trigger 28is pivoted, the finger 27 engages the lower end of the sear 25 whichpivots slightly on its pivot stud 26 until the upper end of the sear 25engages the hammer 17 to cause the hammer 17 to pivot toward its cockedposition against the spring force 21. At the position where the hammer17 is fully cocked, the finger 27 will slide past the lower end of thesear 25 out of engagement therewith; the force of the main spring 21will compel the hammer 17 to pivot on the stud 18 in a forward directionand cause the firing pin 24 to strike and fire the cartridge 22. Whenthe trigger 28 is returned to its neutral position, the finger 27 willengage the lower end of sear 25 and cause the latter to pivot againstthe force of a spring 30 permitting the finger 27 to slide past thelower end of the sear 25 to the position shown by FIGURE 1.

When the trigger 28 is released, it is returned to its neutral positionby a rebound slide 31 slidably mounted in a chamber 32 against a spring33. A trigger lever 34 connects the trigger 28 and the rebound slide 31whose outward movement is prevented by a stop 35 mounted in the path ofthe rebound slide 31 to determine the neutral position of the trigger28.

In addition to cocking the hammer 17 actuation of the trigger 28 causesthe simultaneous operation of a hand 36 and a cylinder stop 37. The hand36 is pivotally secured at its lower end as at 38 to the trigger 28 withthe upper end terminating in a finger portion 39 extending in thedirection of the cylinder 16. The hand 36 is biased to compel the fingerportion 39 to engage a cylinder ratchet 40 by a spring 41 mounted on apin 42 and having its arm portions engaged on posts 43 and 44 mounted onthe trigger 28 and the hand 36 respectively.

The trigger 28 is provided with a second finger 45 which engages ashoulder 46 on the cylinder stop 37. The latter is pivoted at a slightlyelongated opening 47 by a pivot pin 48 secured to the frame 11. The freeend 49 of the cylinder stop 37 extends through an opening 50 in theframe 11 and engages one of a plurality of notches 51 formed on theperiphery of the cylinder 16. When the trigger 28 is actuated from theneutral position shown in FIGURE 1, the finger 45 abutting against theshoulder 46 will swing downwardly causing the cylinder stop 37 to swingin a counter clockwise direction and the free end 49 to leave the notch51 on the cylinder 16. The cylinder 16 which is now free to turn isrotated by the hand 36 hearing against the cylinder ratchet 40, as isexplained in detail hereinafter, which structure forms the basis of thepresent invention. A plunger 52 exerts a yielding force against thecylinder stop 37 to rotate the latter in a clockwise direction by virtueof a spring 53. As the trigger is pulled rearwardly, the finger 45slides along the shoulder 46 of the cylinder stop until immediatelyprior to the hammer 17 becoming fully cocked, the finger 45 slips pastthe shoulder 46 and the cylinder stop 37 rotates in a clockwisedirection causing the free end 49 to be seated in the notch 51 as thecylinder 16 becomes fully indexed. As stated hereinabove continued pullon the trigger 28 will cock the hammer 17 causing its release in aforward direction to fire the cartridge 22. As the trigger 28 isreleased, the trigger return spring 33 will cause the trigger 28 toswing back to its neutral position and the finger 45 will abut againstthe tip of the shoulder 46 of the cylinder lock 37. The force of thetrigger rebound spring 33 being stronger than the cylinder stop spring53 will cause the latter to give and the cylinder stop 37 to slidelaterally in the elongated opening 47 and allow the finger 45 to slidepast the tip of the shoulder 46 after which the spring 53 will returnthe cylinder stop 37 to its normal position and the finger 45 to engagethe shoulder 46 as shown by FIGURE 1.

The cylinder 16 is provided with a plurality of circumferentia'llypositioned cartridge chambers 23, ten such chambers being shown toillustrate that the present invention permits the accommodation of arelatively large number of cartridges in the cylinder so that acorrespondingly large number of shots are permitted with the revolver 10without reloading although any number of chambers 23 may be utilized.

The cylinder 16 has associated therewith a cylinder bolt 54 slidablyreceived in an axial bore of a cylinder ratchet stem 61. The stem 61 isslidably but non-rotatably positioned in an axial bore 64 of thecylinder. The cylinder bolt 54 is provided with an enlarged diameterforward end portion 55 which is engageable with a peripheral shoulder 56in the ratchet bore, and is also provided with a semispherical headportion 57 which is received by a corresponding arcuate recess 158 inthe frame 11. When the cylinder 16 is closed relative to the frame, asshown in FIG. 1, the engagement of the semispherical head portion 57with the recess 158 holds the enlarged diameter end portion 55 slightlyout of engagement with the shoulder 56. The bolt 54 is also urgedrearwardly toward the recess 158 by a coil spring 58 interposed betweenthe bolt 54 and an ejector rod 59. The combination of semispherical head57 rotatably positioned in the corresponding arcuate recess 158 willtherefore maintain the cylinder 16 in its proper axially alignedposition in the firearm 10 at all times notwithstanding any wear of thehead 57 in the recess 158. It should also be noted from FIG. 1 that therecess 158 is of such a depth as to accommodate only the curved portionof the semispherical head 57 with the result that when a side pressureis applied to the cylinder 15 a camming action occurs between the recess158 and the semispherical head 57 forcing the bolt 54 forwardly againstthe action of the spring 58 and partially out of the recess 158 with anaccompanying slight sideward movement of the cylinder. That is, thespring 58 in forcing the bolt head 57 into the recess 158 biases thecylinder to the position shown in FIG. 1 and permits it to yieldinglymove in either direction laterally of the frame from such position. Byapplying sufficient side pressure to the cylinder, the bolt head 57 maybe moved completely from the recess 158 to free the cylinder formovement to its open position.

The cartridge ejector rod 59 is slidably mounted in a bushing 60 andthreaded at its inner end to threads 62 formed in the cylinder ratchetstem 61. A push rod spring 63 mounted in the cylinder axial bore 64 isinterposed between the cartridge ejector rod bushing 60 and an end wall65 of the cylinder bore 64. The cylinder 16 is mounted to rotate out ofthe opening 15 in the frame by means of a crane 66 pivoted to the frame11 by a crane pivot member 67. To prevent the relative rotationalmovements of the ratchet member 40 and the cylinder 16 yet permit therearward sliding movement of the ratchet 40 to eject the cartridges 22in the conventional manner, the ratchet stem 40 is provided withlongitudinal slots 68 in which tongues 69 are fitted and formed on thecylinder 16 at the axial bore 65.

The cylinder ratchet 40 with its operation in combination with thecylinder 16, which constitute the essence of this invention, consists ofa face portion 70 mounted on one end of the stem 61. The face portion 70fits within a circular slot 71 formed in the end wall 72 of the cylinder16. A plurality of semi-circular slots 73 which are formed on theperiphery of the face portion 70 are aligned with the lower half of thecylindrical cartridge chambers 23 of the cylinder 16. The edge of thecaps 74 of the cartridges 22 will lie against the face 70 of the ratchet40 and the end wall 72 of the cylinder 16 within arcuate slots 75 formedby the edges of dogs 76. Positioned on the face 70 are two groups ofdogs 77 and 78 arranged concentrically in circles. The outer dogs 77 aremainly a by-product of the manufacturing process, while the dogs 78 areentirely functional being the dogs which the hand 36 engages forrotating the cylinder 16.

The dogs 76, 77 and 78 are produced by a simple milling operation ofthree steps, namely: Five radial slots 79 are milled across the face 70of the ratchet, the slots 79 being centered on the axis of the face 70and the center of the arcuate slots 73. The edges A and B of the dogs 78are thus formed. In order to mill the third side C of the dogs 78, theratchet 40 is placed with one of the semi-circular slots 73 in ver ticalalignment with the center axis of the ratchet 40 as shown by FIGURE 3.Knowing the horizontal distance the finger 39 of the hand 36 is from theaxis of the cylinder 16 a vertical slot is milled at that distance fromthe axis of the ratchet 40 alongside the dog 78' to form the edge C ofthat dog and to separate from it the associated outer dog 77. Theratchet 40 is now rotated 36 to place the adjoining semi-circular slot73 in vertical alignment with the axis of the ratchet 40 and anothervertical slot is milled alongside the next dog 78 to form its third edgeC. This operation is continued until all of the dogs 78 have beenprovided with the third edge C. A circular slot is then milled about thedogs 77 to complete the milling operation of the ratchet 40.

Now, when the trigger 28 is in its neutral, uncooked position as shownby FIGURE 1, the cylinder ratchet will be in the position shown byFIGURE 3. Note that cartridge 122 is in the firing chamber having beendischarged by the previous cycle of operation and the finger 39 of thehand 36 engages the face 70 of the ratchet 40 at a position below thedog 78". As the trigger 28 is pulled and begins to pivot rearwardly onits pivot stud 29, the hand 36 slides upwardly until the finger 39engages the lower surface of the dog 78". Simultaneously therewith, thecylinder lock 37 has pivoted on its pivot stud 48 to swing the free end49 of the cylinder stop 37 out of the slot 51 to free the cylinder 16 asshown by FIGURE 2. With a further rearward movement of the trigger 28,the hand 36 continues to slide upwardly and the finger 39 pushes againstthe edge portion A of the dog 78 causing the ratchet 40 and the cylinder16 to rotate in a counter clockwise direction as shown by FIGURES 4 and5. As the dog 78" moves upwardly it follows a circular path and moves tothe left while the hand 36 slides in a vertical path. When the dog 78"has reached the position shown by FIGURE 5, the finger 39 will be inalignment with the edge portion C of the dog 78 and within the slotbetween the dog 78" and its associated outer dog 77, and the edgeportion A will now be to the left of the finger 39 and out of contacttherewith. At this position of the finger 39, the cylinder stop 37 willhave pivoted back to the cylinder locked position as shown by FIG-URE 1. Further cocking of the trigger 28 will cause the finger 39 toslide freely and upwardly along the slot between the dogs 78 and 77 ofthe ratchet 40. With the cylinder 16 in its locked position, thecartridge 22 will be in its aligned position to be fired by the hammer17. When the trigger 28 has been fully cocked, the hammer 17 will bereleased and under the force of its spring 21 will fire the cartridge22, and the finger 39 will have arrived at its highest position in theslot between the dogs 78 and 77 as shown by FIGURE 6.

Upon release of the trigger 28, the hand 36 will slide downwardly withthe finger 39 in contact relation with the face 70 of the ratchet 40.The finger 39 will slide downwardly along the slot between the dogs 78and 77 over the adjacent lower dog 78" and position itself below and invertical alignment with the latter dog to complete the cycle ofoperation. At no time is there any bind or undue wear of the finger 39and the dogs 78 that would normally be caused by the cylinder 16becoming locked into position while the hand 36 continues to move withthe trigger action. Furthermore,- should there be a slight mistiming sothat the cylinder 16 is locked by the stop 37 slightly before the finger39 passes completely beyond the surface A of a dog 78, no jamming ordamaging interference of the parts will take place. Instead, thepressure of the finger on the dog will produce a lateral force on thecylinder and move the cylinder slightly in a lateral direction, ashereinbefore explained, to move the surface A out of contact with thefinger 39 and to permit the finger to thereafter move upwardly past thesurface A. Also, since the hand 36 continues its movement after thecylinder 16 is locked there is no need for accurate adjustments of theseparts as in those revolvers wherein the hand must stop its movementsimultaneously with the cylinder becoming indexed and locked inposition.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A cylinder ratchet for the cylinder of a revolver type firearmwherein the cylinder is rotated about its central axis by a hand whichmoves in a straight line spaced from and generally transverse to saidaxis, said ratchet comprising a substantially circular face portionhaving an axis common with that of said cylinder, and a plurality ofdogs on said face portion arranged symmetrically in a circular seriesabout said axis, each of said dogs as viewed looking toward said facehaving a triangular shape defined by first, second and third edgesurfaces, the first edge surface of each dog being parallel to thesecond edge surface of the immediately following dog and extendinggenerally radially with respect to said axis, and the third edge surfaceof each dog being located in a plane spaced from said axis by a distanceequal to the spacing which exists between said axis and said line ofmovement of said hand.

2. A cylinder ratchet for the cylinder of a revolver type firearmwherein the cylinder is rotated about its central axis by a hand whichmoves in a straight line spaced from and generally transverse to saidaxis, said ratchet comprising a substantially circular face portionhaving an axis common with that of said cylinder, a plurality of firstdogs on said face portion arranged symmetrically in a circular seriesabout said axis, and a plurality of second dogs equal in number to saidfirst dogs arranged symmetrically in a circular series about said axiswith each of said second dogs being spaced generally radially outwardlyfrom a respectively associated one of said first dogs, each of saidfisrt dogs as viewed looking toward said face having first, second andthird edge surfaces, the first edge surface of each first dog beingparallel to the second edge surface of the immediately following firstdog, and the third edge surface of each first dog being located in aplane spaced from said axis by a distance equal to the spacing whichexists 'between said axis and said line of movement of said hand, andeach of said second dogs having a first edge surface located in the sameplane as the first edge surface of its associated first dog and alsohaving a second edge surface parallel to and spaced from the third edgesurface of its associated first dog.

3. In a revolver type firearm, the combination comprising a frame havingan opening therein, a cylinder having a central axis mounted on saidframe for rotation about said central axis relative to said frame andfor movement generally laterally of said frame into and out of saidframe opening, said cylinder having a normal position in said frameopening, a ratchet non-rotatably fixed relative to said cylinder andhaving a generally circular face at one end of said cylinder concentricwith said central axis, a hand movable in a straight line past said oneend of said cylinder and in one direction of its movement beingengageable with said ratchet to rotate said ratchet and cylinder whensaid cylinder is in its normal position, said ratchet having a centralaxially extending bore, a

cylinder bolt slidably positioned in said ratchet bore and having oneend portion with a generally semispherical head extending beyond saidface portion, said frame having an arcuate recess for receiving saidgenerally semispherical head of said cylinder bolt when said cylinder isin its normal position, yielding means urging said cylinder bolt towardengagement with said arcuate frame recess and to accordingly urge saidcylinder toward its normal position as the result of camming actionoccurring between said generally semispherical head and said recess,said ratchet including a plurality of dogs on said face portion arrangedsymmetrically in a circular series about said central axis, each of saiddogs as viewed looking toward said face having a triangular shapedefined by first, second and third edge surfaces, the first edge surfaceof each dog 'being parallel to the second edge surface of theimmediately following dog and extending generally radially with respectto said central axis, and the third edge surface of each dog beinglocated in a plane spaced from said central axis by a distance equal tothe spacing which exists between said axis and said line of movement ofsaid hand with the result that as said hand is moved in said onedirection of its movement it first engages and rotates the first edgesurface of one of said dogs until passing the point of intersection ofthe first and third edge surfaces of said dog, after which it slidesalong said third edge surface of said dog without rotating the same,cylinder stop means movable into and out of engagement with saidcylinder to respectively prevent or permit rotation of said cylinderabout its central axis, and means for moving and holding said cylinderstop means out of engagement with said cylinder during the initialportion of the movement of said hand in said one direction of movementto permit rotaion of said cylinder and for returning said cylinder stopmeans to engagement with said cylinder to prevent further rotation ofthe same at approximately the same time as said hand reaches the pointof intersection of the first and third edge surfaces of the dog which itengages.

4. In a revolver type firearm, the combination comprising a frame havingan opening therein, a cylinder having a central axis mounted on saidframe for rotation about said central axis relative to said frame andfor movement generally laterally of said frame into and out of saidframe opening, said cylinder having a normal position in said frameopening, a ratchet non-rotatably fixed relative to said cylinder andhaving a generally circular face at one end of said cylinder concentricwith said central axis, a hand movable in a straight line past said oneend of said cylinder and in one direction of its movement beingengageable with said ratchet to rotate said ratchet and cylinder whensaid cylinder is in its normal position, said ratchet having a centralaxially extending bore, a cylinder bolt slidably positioned in saidrachet bore and having one end portion with a generally semisphericalhead extendig beyond said face portion, said frame having an arcuaterecess for receiving said generally semispherical head of said cylinderbolt when said cylinder is in its normal position, yielding means urgingsaid cylinder bolt toward engagement with said arcuate frame recess andto accordingly yieldingly urge said cylinder toward its normal positionas the result of camming action occurring between said generallysemispherical head and said recess, said ratchet including a pluralityof dogs on said face portion arranged symmetrically in a circular seriesabout said central axis, each of said dogs as viewed looking toward saidface having first, second and third edge surfaces, the first edgesurface of each dog being parallel to the second edge surface of theimmediately following dog and extending generally radially with respectto said axis and the third edge surface of each dog being located in aplane spaced from said central axis by a distance equal to the spacingwhich exists between said axis and said line of movement of said handwith the result that as said hand is moved in said one direction of itsmovement it first engages and rotates the first edge surface of one ofsaid dogs until passing the point of intersection of its first and thirdedge surfaces and after which it slides along said third edge surface ofsaid dog without rotating the same, cylinder stop means movable into andout of engagement with said cylinder to respectivcly prevent or permitrotation of said cylinder about its central axis, and means for movingand holding said cylinder stop means out of engagement with saidcylinder during the initial portion of the movement of said hand in saidone direction of movement to permit rotation of said cylinder and forreturning said cylinder stop means to engagement with said cylinder toprevent further rotation of the same at approximately the same time assaid hand reaches the point of intersection of the first and third edgesurfaces of the dog which it engages.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 469,465 2/ 189 2Ehbets 4265 517,152 3/1894 Wesson 42-68 X 602,870 4/1898 Owen 42-68 X1,181,417 5/1916 Wesson 42-68 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

1. A CYLINDER RATCHET FOR THE CYLINDER OF A REVOLVER TYPE FIREARMWHEREIN THE CYLINDER IS ROTATED ABOUT ITS CENTRAL AXIS BY A HAND WHICHMOVES IN A STRAIGHT LINE SPACED FROM AND GENERALLY TRANSVERSE TO SAIDAXIS, SAID RATCHET COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR FACE PORTIONHAVING AN AXIS COMMON WITH THAT OF SAID CYLINDER, AND A PLURALITY OFDOGS ON SAID FACE PORTION ARRANGED SYMMETRICALLY IN A CIRCULAR SERIESABOUT SAID AXIS, EACH OF SAID DOGS AS VIEWED LOOKING TOWARD SAID FACEHAVING A TRIANGULAR SHAPE DEFINED BY FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD EDGESURFACES, THE FIRST EDGE SURFACE OF EACH DOG BEING PARALLEL TO THESECOND EDGE SURFACE OF THE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING DOG AND EXTENDINGGENERALLY RADIALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID AXIS, AND THE THIRD EDGE SURFACEOF EACH DOG BEING LOCATED IN A PLANE SPACED FROM SAID AXIS BY A DISTANCEEQUAL TO THE SPACING WHICH EXISTS BETWEEN SAID AXIS AND SAID LINE OFMOVEMENT OF SAID HAND.